Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 11:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 11:52 p.m.

When football practices reopened Aug. 4, the dawn of a new high school season was merely weeks away.

Today and Friday, area teams will be seeing just how much they have learned in fall classics, their final preseason competition before the real season begins next week.

The goal of all teams is to look better than they did in the spring and to stay healthy for the upcoming season.

Tonight, one of the three preseason games pits Bradford against Buchholz at Citizens Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. That is also the time when Branford plays at The Villages.

Hawthorne will also host Florida School for the Deaf at 7:30 tonight.

On Friday, there are 15 games scheduled that involve area teams. At 6 p.m., Gainesville hosts Palm Bay Heritage in a battle between two Class 6A playoff teams from 2013. At 7 p.m., there are seven games scheduled — Palatka at Eastside (the first varsity game at the school), Tallahassee John Paul II at St. Francis, Cocoa Beach at Lafayette, Oak Hall at Ocala Christian Academy, Bronson at Wildwood, Orange Park Ridgeview at Keystone Heights and Interlachen at Victory Christian.

There are eight games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday — Santa Fe at P.K. Yonge, Brooksville Central at Williston, West Orange at Columbia, Trenton at Newberry, Bell at Chiefland, Fort White at Dixie County, Union County at Hilliard and Madison County at Suwannee.

For Buchholz, which in the spring was pounded at Santa Fe (34-3), erasing that memory and building on some positives in summer workouts and tonight's game will be important heading into the season.

“We made some headway this summer,” said Bobcats coach Mark Whittemore, who enters his third season. “This game is important to get better from a mental standpoint. We had a productive summer and preseason camp. I'm excited to see where we are going against Corey Green and Bradford.”

Green, son of longtime Columbia and Orange Park coach Danny Green, is in his first year with the Tornadoes, hired in late June to replace Steve Reynolds.

Gainesville will face another Class 6A playoff opponent in Palm Bay Heritage, which went 12-1 in 2013, losing to state champion Miami Central in the regional finals.

Eastside, under fourth-year coach Jeff Parker, takes on fellow 5A opponent Palatka, which unlike the Rams reached the state playoffs last year, losing in the first round to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny.

Eastside, which depended on its defense in 2013, will be depending on its offense early this season.

“Our defense is going to be young, but we are working on that,” Parker said. “We are going to make sure we are all on the same page, are all working together.

“We want to play well, but we also want to stay healthy so we will make sure we are ready to go for the season.”

Contact Larry Savage at 352-374-5050 or larry.savage@gvillesun.com. And follow at Twitter.com/sunpreps

<p>When football practices reopened Aug. 4, the dawn of a new high school season was merely weeks away.</p><p>Today and Friday, area teams will be seeing just how much they have learned in fall classics, their final preseason competition before the real season begins next week.</p><p>The goal of all teams is to look better than they did in the spring and to stay healthy for the upcoming season.</p><p>Tonight, one of the three preseason games pits Bradford against Buchholz at Citizens Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. That is also the time when Branford plays at The Villages.</p><p>Hawthorne will also host Florida School for the Deaf at 7:30 tonight.</p><p>On Friday, there are 15 games scheduled that involve area teams. At 6 p.m., Gainesville hosts Palm Bay Heritage in a battle between two Class 6A playoff teams from 2013. At 7 p.m., there are seven games scheduled — Palatka at Eastside (the first varsity game at the school), Tallahassee John Paul II at St. Francis, Cocoa Beach at Lafayette, Oak Hall at Ocala Christian Academy, Bronson at Wildwood, Orange Park Ridgeview at Keystone Heights and Interlachen at Victory Christian.</p><p>There are eight games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday — Santa Fe at P.K. Yonge, Brooksville Central at Williston, West Orange at Columbia, Trenton at Newberry, Bell at Chiefland, Fort White at Dixie County, Union County at Hilliard and Madison County at Suwannee.</p><p>For Buchholz, which in the spring was pounded at Santa Fe (34-3), erasing that memory and building on some positives in summer workouts and tonight's game will be important heading into the season.</p><p>“We made some headway this summer,” said Bobcats coach Mark Whittemore, who enters his third season. “This game is important to get better from a mental standpoint. We had a productive summer and preseason camp. I'm excited to see where we are going against Corey Green and Bradford.”</p><p>Green, son of longtime Columbia and Orange Park coach Danny Green, is in his first year with the Tornadoes, hired in late June to replace Steve Reynolds. </p><p>Gainesville will face another Class 6A playoff opponent in Palm Bay Heritage, which went 12-1 in 2013, losing to state champion Miami Central in the regional finals.</p><p>Eastside, under fourth-year coach Jeff Parker, takes on fellow 5A opponent Palatka, which unlike the Rams reached the state playoffs last year, losing in the first round to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny.</p><p>Eastside, which depended on its defense in 2013, will be depending on its offense early this season.</p><p>“Our defense is going to be young, but we are working on that,” Parker said. “We are going to make sure we are all on the same page, are all working together. </p><p>“We want to play well, but we also want to stay healthy so we will make sure we are ready to go for the season.”</p><p><i>Contact Larry Savage at 352-374-5050 or larry.savage@gvillesun.com. And follow at Twitter.com/sunpreps</i></p><p><b>FALL CLASSICS</b></p><p>All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted</p><p><b>THURSDAY</b></p><p>Bradford at Buchholz, 7 p.m.</p><p>Branford at The Villages, 7 p.m.</p><p>Florida Deaf at Hawthorne</p><p><b>FRIDAY</b></p><p>Palm Bay Heritage at Gainesville (Citizens Field), 7 p.m.</p><p>Palatka at Eastside, 7 p.m.</p><p>Tallahassee John Paul II at St. Francis, 7 p.m.</p><p>Cocoa Beach at Lafayette, 7 p.m.</p><p>Oak Hall at Ocala Christian Academy, 7 p.m.</p><p>Bronson at Wildwood, 7 p.m.</p><p>Orange Park Ridgeview at Keystone Heights, 7 p.m.</p><p>Interlachen at Victory Christian, 7 p.m.</p><p>Santa Fe at P.K. Yonge</p><p>Brooksville Central at Williston</p><p>West Orange at Columbia</p><p>Trenton at Newberry</p><p>Bell at Chiefland</p><p>Fort White at Dixie County</p><p>Union County at Hilliard</p><p>Madison County at Suwannee</p>